Mixing machine and associated bowl guard system

Abstract

A mixer may include one or more of (i) a readily installable and removable bowl guard member, (ii) a bowl guard sensor arrangement, (iii) a bowl guard support ring assembly including a plastic part and a metal part, (iv) a bowl guard support ring assembly and bowl guard member that interact for limiting movement of the bowl guard member.

1. A mixing machine, comprising:
 a mixer body including a head portion that extends over a bowl receiving location, the head portion including a magnetically actuatable bowl guard sensor for providing a guard fault output; 
 an output member extending downward from the head portion toward the bowl receiving location; 
 a drive system linked to the output member for effecting planetary rotation of the output member, the drive system connected with the bowl guard sensor, the drive system and bowl guard sensor operate together such that in a first state of the bowl guard sensor planetary rotation of the output member can be effected by the drive system and in a second state of the bowl guard sensor planetary rotation of the output member cannot be effected by the drive system; 
 a bowl guard assembly including a first portion and a second portion, at least the second portion is movable to enable the bowl guard assembly to be arranged in both a bowl guarding orientation and a bowl access orientation, a magnetically conductive member associated with the first portion, the second portion includes a magnet, when the second portion is positioned to place the bowl guard assembly in the bowl guarding orientation the magnet is positioned at a distance from the bowl guard sensor so that the magnetically conductive member is necessary in order for a magnetic field from the magnet to reach the bowl guard sensor and place the bowl guard sensor in its first state, wherein removal of the first portion of the bowl guard assembly causes the magnetically conductive member to move out of a position that conducts the magnetic field from the magnet to the bowl guard sensor. 
 
   
   
     2. The mixing machine of  claim 1  wherein when the second portion of the bowl guard assembly is moved to place the bowl guard assembly in the bowl access orientation, the bowl guard sensor is placed in its second state. 
   
   
     3. The mixing machine of  claim 1  wherein:
 the bowl guard sensor is a switch with a conducting state and a non-conducting state, the first state is the conducting state and the second state is in the non-conducting state; 
 the first portion is positioned towards a support column of the mixer body, the first portion is formed primarily of a plastic material and carries a localized metallic insert at one side of the first portion to form the magnetically conductive member. 
 
   
   
     4. The mixing machine of  claim 3  wherein the switch is biased into the non-conducting state, the magnetic field of the magnet moves the switch to the conducting state when the bowl guard assembly is in the bowl guarding orientation. 
   
   
     5. The mixing machine of  claim 1  wherein the second portion rotates between nested and unnested positions relative to the first portion. 
   
   
     6. The mixing machine of  claim 5  wherein the first portion of the bowl guard assembly is fixed. 
   
   
     7. The mixing machine of  claim 1  wherein when the bowl guard assembly is in the bowl guarding orientation the first portion and the second portion together substantially surround the output member. 
   
   
     8. A mixing machine, comprising:
 a mixer body including a head portion that extends over a bowl receiving location, the head portion including a magnetically actuatable bowl guard sensor for providing a guard fault output; 
 an output member extending downward from the head portion toward the bowl receiving location; 
 a drive system linked to the output member for effecting planetary rotation of the output member, the drive system connected with the bowl guard sensor, the drive system and bowl guard sensor operate together such that in a first state of the bowl guard sensor planetary rotation of the output member can be effected by the drive system and in a second state of the bowl guard sensor planetary rotation of the output member cannot be effected by the drive system; 
 a bowl guard assembly including a first portion and a second portion, at least the second portion is movable to enable the bowl guard assembly to be arranged in both a bowl guarding orientation and a bowl access orientation, a magnetically conductive member associated with the first portion, the second portion includes a magnet when the second portion is positioned to place the bowl guard assembly in the bowl guarding orientation the magnet is positioned at a distance from the bowl guard sensor so that the magnetically conductive member is necessary in order for a magnetic field from the magnet to reach the bowl guard sensor and place the bowl guard sensor in its first state, wherein movement of the first portion of the bowl guard assembly out of a guarding position causes the magnetically conductive member to move out of a position that conducts the magnetic field from the magnet to the bowl guard sensor. 
 
   
   
     9. The mixing machine of  claim 8  wherein when the second portion of the bowl guard assembly is moved to place the bowl guard assembly in the bowl access orientation, the bowl guard sensor is placed in its second state. 
   
   
     10. The mixing machine of  claim 8  wherein:
 the bowl guard sensor is a switch with a conducting state and a non-conducting state, the first state is the conducting state and the second state is in the non-conducting state; 
 the first portion is positioned towards a support column of the mixer body, the first portion is formed primarily of a plastic material and carries a localized metallic insert at one side of the first portion to form the magnetically conductive member. 
 
   
   
     11. The mixing machine of  claim 10  wherein the switch is biased into the non-conducting state, the magnetic field of the magnet moves the switch to the conducting state when the bowl guard assembly is in the bowl guarding orientation. 
   
   
     12. The mixing machine of  claim 8  wherein the second portion rotates between nested and unnested positions relative to the first portion. 
   
   
     13. The mixing machine of  claim 12  wherein the first portion of the bowl guard assembly is fixed. 
   
   
     14. The mixing machine of  claim 8  wherein when the bowl guard assembly is in the bowl guarding orientation the first portion and the second portion together substantially surround the output member.